ABSTRACT
During 2003, a portable instrument suite was used to conduct cosmic radiation measurements on 49 jet-altitude flights, which brings the total number of in-flight measurements by this research group to over 160 flights since 1999. From previous measurements, correlations have been developed to allow for the interpolation of the dose-equivalent rate for any global position, altitude and date. The result was a Predictive Code for Aircrew Radiation Exposure (PCAIRE), which has since been improved. This version of the PCAIRE has been validated against the integral route dose measurements made at commercial aircraft altitudes during the 49 flights. On most flights, the code gave predictions that agreed to the measured data (within +/- 25%), providing confidence in the use of PCAIRE to predict aircrew exposure to galactic cosmic radiation. An empirical correlation, based on ground-level neutron monitoring data, has also been developed for the estimation of aircrew exposure from solar energetic particle (SEP) events. This model has been used to determine the significance of SEP exposure on a theoretical jet altitude flight during GLE 42.
Subject(s)
Aerospace Medicine/methods , Aircraft , Cosmic Radiation , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Radiation Protection/methods , Radiometry/methods , Software , Algorithms , Body Burden , Computer Simulation , Humans , Models, Biological , Radiation Dosage , Radiometry/instrumentation , Relative Biological Effectiveness , Risk Assessment/methods , Risk Factors , Software Design , Software ValidationABSTRACT
A methodology is presented for collecting and analysing exposure measurements from galactic cosmic radiation using a portable equipment suite and encapsulating these data into a semi-empirical model/Predictive Code for Aircrew Radiation Exposure (PCAIRE) for the assessment of aircrew radiation exposure on any flight over the solar cycle. The PCAIRE code has been validated against integral route dose measurements at commercial aircraft altitudes during experimental flights made by various research groups over the past 5 y with code predictions typically within +/-20% of the measured data. An empirical correlation, based on ground-level neutron monitoring data, is detailed further for estimation of aircrew exposure from solar particle events. The semi-empirical models have been applied to predict the annual and career exposure of a flight crew member using actual flight roster data, accounting for contributions from galactic radiation and several solar energetic-particle events over the period 1973-2002.
